The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-22
THE SENATE'S EXPENDITURES.
How Green Smith Wanted Extra Money When
His Account Was 0Yerdrawn.


The ledger and journal accounts of the ex-
penses of the Senate are in possession of the
Secretary Of State. but that officer has failed as
yet after two or three solicitations, to have the
Senates assistant secretary to give him, as the
law requires, the proceedings of the last day
If this should be made up With the House jour
nal as an example it ought to contain an itemized
statement of where every dollar in payment of
expenses went It cost the House just $64, 212. 15
to get through with its session, and the Senate,
taking the ledger exhibits therefor. very near
$40, 900. The assistant secretary of the latter
body did not take the trouble to present trial
balance, and therefore the aggregate obtained
-S39, SAG. SOS obtained through an unofficial
ejaculation. But it is sufficiently near to show that
the revolutionary Democrats were an expensive
set, and used the States money as if there was
no end to it. The Senate having only fifty mem
oers ought to be less expensive by one-half than
the House with it's one hundred mem
beers, and yet in these figures it
is seen the Green Smith majority
expended almost two-thirds of the sum re-
quired to pay tho expenses of the House. Near
iy every committee of the Senate had clerk,
and they were paid altogether So, $50, while the
House used only 81 955 for this purpose. But it
is in the cost of door keepers that the Senate
celied While the Representatives had more in
vestlgation committees in operation, a service
that called for additional sereeants-at-arms the
expenditures as a whole in this respect reached
but 81 7l6 while the Senate paid SIS, SOB go OF
this sum 81, 30l went to the twenty-five regular
assistant door keepers, an unnecessarily large
number, and 81 030 to the select class of thirty
three sluggers, which the reyolutionists called
IN from Sim Coys following to quiet their nerves
with a sense of security
At one dash during the last days of the session
5000 was paid to Assistant Secretary Carter. and
$500 to Secretary Dixon for alleged extra
services. OF the first mentioned sum 5000 is to
square accounts with Carter for extra work
he said he performed after the Lees
lature of 1885 adjourned Senator Sellers
took care of this interest, and in presenting the
Senate resolution therefor said that the claim
was provided for by the Legislature two years
ago. but through failed to get into the APP
preparation account, hence Mr.. Carter asked the
General Assembly of 'S7 to pay him. He SEN
ator Sellers, knew the claim all right, but
1T was sent to the appropriate committee, which,
anout week before adjournment, reported 1t
back as concurrent resolution 1t was urged
that an appropriation for this purpose by that
Assembly for which the work was not performed
could be made only by the consent of the two
houses. Senator Sellers admitted this, but did
not think it would be right to keep Carter wait
ing two years longer that account. He sug-
gested that it could be paid by simple Senate
resolution out of the fund appropriated for the
expenses of the General Assembly of 81. This
idea took, and If any one had doubts about its
ton was adopted. But Mr.. Carter has not re-
ceived his money yet. and will not until
the demand comes with better war
| rant than that Of Senate resolution
Senate responsible for what is said to have been
performed for another The recipient of this
Democratic generosity has made two attempts to
| collect the $780, When he first presented his
warrant it read that the expenditure was made
| on Senate resolution without stating the charac-
ter of service for which payment was to BIZ made.
| The Auditor of State refused to honor it, and a
| day or two ago the warrant came back with in
| terlineations stating that it for extra work
done as assistant secretary OF the General AS
! sembly two years ago. This made the matter
| the worse. and the warrant is still unpaid.
| Another significant feature in the Senate ac-
counts is $5l6 charged to Senator A. G. Smith in
| theiaarnal 'for services as President of the
Senate" Up to Saturday preceding adjournment
| of the General Assembly he had been paid 1868
| when his sixty one days services as Senator en-
| titled him to 1866. He had therefore overdrawn
| his account at this date So. But that day page
came over from the Senate with warrant for
| A G. Smith calling for 500 for
eleven and one-fourth days services. which
was calculated at the rate of So per day,
| when the payments made him previous to tina,
| day, and on which he drew 50 more than was
his due, were at the rate of Sc per day This
| occurred after the Supreme Court had, for the
| second time. thrown his claim 10 the lieutenant
| governorship out of court but, up to which
| time he had been, it seems, content to draw only
| Sc per day. 1t is worth while to remember that
| a portion of this sum based on Sc per diem, was
paid him by Auditor of State Rice. His warrant fol
eleven and quarter days services did not &c,
what it called for, but it went back to the Senate
with request from Auditor Carr for Senator
| Smith to explain why he should have more
money and particularly 800 for eleven and
| quarter days. at So per-diem rate, the pay OF
| Lieutenant governor, when he owed the State
| 50 for salary overdrawn Senator Smith did no
| see fit to push the collection, and the warrant il
| unpaid, and will remain so.